Apparatus for and method of delivering pipe to and from threading machines and testers



Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,315

H D. PENNINGTON APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF DELIVERING PIPE TO AND FROM THHEADING MACHINES AND TESTERS Filed 28. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,315

H. D. PENNINGTON APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF DELIVERING PIPE TO AND FROM THREADING MACHINES AND TESTERS Filed Aug- 28. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jan. 24, 1928.

G PIPE TO AND FROM H. D. PENNINGTON APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF DELIVERIN THREADING-MACHINES AND TESTERS Filed Aug- 28. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT emc HARLEY D. PENNINGTON, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASlSIGNOR T0 UNITED ENGINEERINGet FOUNDRY COMPANY, 0E PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- POBATION OF PENNSYLVANIA. a

APPARATUS ron AND METHOD or DELIVERIN -Pr m TO AND FROM THREADING MACHINES AND TESTER-5..

Application filed. sa -us; as, 1923. sci-mi in). 659,709.

The present invention relates to'the manufact-ure of pipe, and more particularly to an improved method and apparatus for handling pipe in connection with threading and 5 testing machines. I

It is customary to deliver pipe from the butt or lap welding mill onto a rack-from which it is delivered either by means ofa crane or by means of trucks to the various threading machines. After the pipe has been threaded, it is again carried in a similar manner to the pipe testing machines. This alsomay involve turning the pipe ninetydegrees, depending upon the general arrangement of the pipe threading machines, testing machines and racks. These methods of handling the pipe have certain serious disadvantages. On the one hand,;with over: a head cranes, there is the ever present danger to the workmen, and the mental hazard which they have when working with such devices tends to lower their efficiency. Moreover, when .the cranes are working, the workmen have to pause in their work to avoid being struck. These interruptions naturally tend to decrease the output. On the other hand, handling the pipe by means of trucks inefficient because it requires a relatively large amount of manual handling of the pipe. n

In accordance with the present invention, it is proposed to deliver the pipe directly from the rack, upon which it is received from the butt or lap welding mill, to a live S5 roller table from which it may be distributed by means including other live roller tables and racks to the various pairs of threading machines, then to the testing machines, and finally to the storage space or warehouse, or,

in case thepipe tested proves defective, to

a rack for receiving defective pipe.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown, for purposes of illustration only, certain embodiments of my invention, it being 4.5 understood that the drawings do not define the limits of the invention, as changes may he, made in the construction and operation therein disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or scope of my broader claims.

In the drawings: p

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view :illustrating my invention in connection with pipe thread-ing and testing machines associated larly to the left hand portion thereof, 2 indicates theusual rack for receiving the pipe from a butt welding mill (not shown) As previously state d, it, has heretofore been customary to deliver the pipe from these racks to the various pairs of pipe threading Ina- Referring to Figure 1, and more particuchines 3 by .means of overhead cranes or I truclis. In accordance with thepresent invention, the pipe may be delivered 1 from either rack 2 to a liveroller table 4: having deflectors 5 associatedtherewith for deflecting it onto one or the other of, a pair. of racksti. Testingmeans 7 may beassociated with each of the racks 6 whereby the pipe may be tested before delivery to anotherlive rollertable i v V Arranged on oppositesides of each live roller table 8,:'may be aplurality of pairs of threading machines 3. Deflectors 9 and racks 10 are associated with each live roller table' 8, wherebya pipe carried thereby may be delivered to any desired pair of threading machines. If desired, each liveroller table8 may alsophave. associated therewith an additional deflectorlll, whereby a pipe carried by; one of said tables may be switched over to the other of said tables previous to being delivered tosthe desired pair; of thread- .ing machines, a rack 12 extending across and a between said tables 8- forthat purpose.

.Eachlive roller'table 8 has at opposite sides thereof and extendingparallel therewith a pair of additional live roller tables 13 for receiving the pipe after being threaded and delivering it to a rack 14, deflectors 1.5 being provided for deflecting it onto: said rack. The rack 14.- has associated therewith by means of a crane and placed on the racks With-and the fpimeans 16 and the A er being tested and weighed, the pipe may be delivered onto live roller tables 18 delivered flaerefmm by means of detheaters. L9 tomeks @Ofilccated in a storage room or space 21. The space or storage room 21 ma have car tracks 22 therein along side-o which are arranged racks 23. The pipe received on the racks may heinoved 17.for testing and weighing 23 for loading into cars on the tracks 22. Referring to y the right hand portion of Figure 1, the arrangement for handling the pipe in connection with the threading machines oi the lap welding mill is similar to that for the threading machines of the butt 'welding inill just desoribed. The pipe from the lap welding millis delivered as usual upon a receiving rack 2 which may have means'25 associatedtherewith for cutting off the ends of the The pipe is delivered from this rack onto a live roller table 26 having on opposite. sides thereof a plurality of threading machines 2.7. The pipe may be delivered from the table 26 to any desired pair of threading machines 27 by means of deflectors 28. On the other handrt'hegige carried by the table 2.6 may be delivere meansof deflectors 29 and a rack 30 to either of a. pair of live roller tables 31 arranged on opposite sides ofthe table 26 and extending parallel therewith. Each of these live roll ertables 31 mayha've a plurality of pairs of threading machines 32 associated theree may be delivered to any desired pair. 0 t reading machines by means ofdefleotors 3 3 and make 34. Arrangedbetiveeneach live rolle17table3l and .thelive rollertable 26 is a live roller table 35. to which the pipe may he delivered after being threaded. Arranged laterally Offach live roller table 35 and extending parallel thereto is a live roller table- 36, and extending between each table 35 and its corresponding tahle 36 rack 37. having a testingmachineBS associated therewith. The {aipe may bedel-ivered fromflie table 35 to lie-rack 37 and tested in thetesting machine 38, and then delivered to the table '36. A rack 39 extends between the ends of the tables 36 and has associated therewith means .40 for weighingthc pipe. Thepipe may be delivered from the tables. 36 onto the rack 39 and Weighed by the means 40 and then placed onanotherlive rollertahle 11 which extends from the rack 39';into the storage room or space 21, where it has associatedtherewith a rack 42. On the other hand, the pipe may be delivered from theftahles 36 toracks 43 for receiving defective pipel The defective pipe me be delivered back tothe'lap weld ing mil by means ofthe some live. roller tables. a a

Another rack it extends between the infiat Mi lers 47.

ner ends of the tables 36, and deflectors 45 are associated with the taljiles whereby the "pipe may he delivered from one table 35 to the other table 35 before being delivered to the itestingmeane'38; In Figure 2thereinillustrated type of live roller talole whichinay mam-awa he en' ployed. This table comprises a plurality of grooved rollers Q6 and tr plurality of The rollers 46 and 47 are driven from a 1not0rl8 by means of the Cll]V- ingronnectionshown and designated gen erally by thereferencenumeral 49. y

. The hipe is firstreceivcdhy the grooved rollers l6 and carried in the direction of the arrow is then moved by the hat rollers 47. Extending intermediate the flat rollers 47 are a plurality of tables 50. The endmos t table 50 has a pair of deflectors 51 associated therewith adapted to he moved into a position to engage the end of the pipe and deflect the pipe toeither side of the live roller table. It will heunderstood of course oneside ofthe conveyor. It will he apparent that the pipe heing relatively heavw will he moved bodily by the deflector andwill not merely'have its leading end swung out of line. Just assoon as the endjioi' the pipe strikes the inclined deflectoigthe pipe will begin to roll bodily either to one side or the other. It will he noted that in the arrangen'ient shown in Figure 1 the pipe in being deliv-I ered from the racks 2 to the rachsEZO in the space 21 or from the rack 24 to the rack 42 travels alwaysfin the same direction. so that there is no necessity for turning the pipe. In the arrangement shown inl ignre 3. the pipe is delivered to the threading machines andfrom there to live roller tables 55. as in the construction shown in the right hand portion of Figure 1,the parts in Figure ii corresponding to the parts shmvn in the righthand Imrtion of Figure 1 ,heing given the same reference characters with a prime associated therewith. In this arrangen'lent', however, means 52 provided at the outer end ofeaehlive roller table 35 for receiving each pipeandrotating it through an angle of degrees, about an axis extending at right angles to thelongitudinal axis oflthe pipe, and piacing it upon a rack 53. The rack 53 has associated therewith testing means 54. Rack 53 extends into a storage room or space 55 h aving car tracks 55 there- The advantage of this modified arrangenient lies in the fact that it is only necessary Ill) to provide a single storage space 55, whereas in the arrangement shown in Figure 1, an intel-mediate storage space 56 is required.

Suitable means for turning the, pipe through an angle of 90 degrees is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. This means comprises a fluid pressure actuatedcylinder 57 supported upona vertical plunger 58. The cylinder carries upon its upper enda pipe sup port 59 having a pair of pipe receiving grooves 60 therein extending at right angles toeachother. The rack 53 consists of a plurality'of spaced parallel I beams 61 and the support59 is arranged between a pair of said I beams, and in the lower position thereof is below the plane of a pipe supported on said rack. Lugs 62 are provided for cooperation with slots 63 in the cylinder57, these lugs projecting from beams 62 at opposite sides of the cylinder. There are four of these slots v63, 90 degrees apart, in the cylinder 5,7 and adjacent slots 63 are connected by branch slots 64. j i j The cylinder is shown in Figures 4 and 5 in the lowered position thereof. When fluid is admitted to the cylinder to raise the same, the lug 62 travels in the upper portion of slot 63 until it strikes a cam surface 65 separating the adjacent branch slot 64 fromthe lower portion of the slot 63. This cam surface causes the lug 62 to travel in the branch slot 64 and thereby causes the cylinder to be rotated throughan angle of 90 degrees.

Assuming that a pipe .66 has been delivered by a table 35 onto the support 59 and rests in a groove 60 thereof," the raising of the cylinder causes the pipe to be raised above the I beams 61 and turned through an angle of 90 degrees. When the cylinder has reached the end of its upward movement, the lug 62 has been carried into the lower end of the next slot 63. The lowering'of the cylinder results in the pipe being placed upon the I beams as shown in Figure 5 and the support 59 beingbrought into position to re ceive another pipe in the groove60 thereof extending at right angles tothe groove in which the preceding pipe was received. It will be understood of course that the invention is not limited to any specific. formof turning means. 7

, he advantages of the present invention arise from the fact that it eliminates the handling of the pipe by overhead cranes or bending or dinging is likely to occur when large diameter thin wall pipes are being handled, in which case the localized pressure of the sling frequently dinges one ormore of: the pipes of the bundle atthe point of support. i i j i When either of these things occur, the damagedpipe must be rerouted and either straightened out or sent to a'cutting machine, where the dinged portion is cut out and the two sections are made up into a coupled length of pipe. 7

In the following claims I have defined my invention as applying to wrought metal pipe, so asto distinguish from east material. The word wrought however, is not to be taken as a limitation to any particular metal.

Further advantages arise from the compactness of the apparatus, enabling a greater amount of material to be handled in' less space than possible where trucks or the like are used, 1

I claim:

at 1.1111 the method of making threaded,

wrought metal pipe, the steps consisting-in supplying pipes singly and? successively from the pipe mill to a conveyor extending to a threading machine and effective for supporting each pipe at a plurality of points during substantially its entire travel, and operating the conveyor to carry the pipes successively to' the threading machine whereby bending and twisting of the pipe are substantially eliminated. i

2. In the method of making threaded and tested wrought metal pipes, the steps consisting ofsupplying. pipes singly and successively from the pipe mill to a conveyor extending to a threading machine and effective for supporting each pipe at a plurality of points during substantially its en-' tire travel, operating the conveyor to carry thepipes successively to the threading ma chine, successively supplying the pipes from the threading machine to a conveyor extending to a testing machine and effective for supporting the pipes at a plurality of points during substantially their entire travel, and operating the last. mentioned conveyor to carry the pipes successivelyto thevtesting machine wherebybending and twisting of the pipes are substantiallyelimb nated. H I

3. In the method of making and storing threaded and tested wrought 1netal-pipes,1the" steps consisting in supplying, the pipes singly and successively from the pipe mill to a conveyor extending to a' threading machine,'and effective for supporting each pipe at a plurality of points during substantially its entire travel, operatingthe conveyor to carry the pipes successively to thetlireadin machine, threading the pipes in the threa ing. machine, then singly and successively supplying the pipes from the threading maehiine to neonm eyer eiten ding to a testing machine antiefl'ective forsupporting each pipeet; ephimliiy (if points during sub stan-tielly its entne ttaveL perating the last i mentioned eonvejyor to carry the pipes Sue cessively to the testing machine, testing the pipes and then supplying the tested and threaded pipes successively from the machine in a ecnveyer extehclingte miserag e space and efiectiwe for supporting each pipe at a plurality of points duringsubstantially its entire travel, and operating such eonveyoi to cai-ry the p ipes suceessively to the storegespace whereby benclhwand twisting ef the pipesane substantially elixhi 4; In the method of making and testing threaded wrought metal pipes, the steps consisting in siipplyinn nnthread'e cl pipes singly andsneoessively from the pipefmill t0 e eonveyer extending' to e threading in chine and effective for supporting each pipe zit a plurality of points during {its travel, operating the eonvey-or teewrry the pipes successively to the threading machine, threadingthe pipes, turning; the pipes singly fanghsnccessively through an angle and delivering them to a testing 'Inachine,

the pipes during the latter movement being slip mrted at a pluralityof points whereby bending! and twisting of the pipes @113 substnntially eliminatecl thmughputthe openetimi' 5. In the methtxlofixnaking and testing threaded Wmught metal pipes the steps cOnsisting in supplying unthreeded pipes pom the rack of the pipe mill to a conveyor extending to a threading machine, the eonveyor being elfeetive for carrying the pipes singly and snccessively in a line which is substantially the axial line of the moving pipes. the pipes following we anothenin such line of travel, and being further efiiectivehsupp'orting each pipe at a plurality of points at substantially all times during its travel, whereby bending and twisting of the pipes are substantially eliminnteglnnd open atingtheconveyor to carry the pipes to the threadinglmachine. i i

6:111 in system ion the mainline-tum of threaded'wrought metal pipes; a pipe mill reek adapted to receive the pipes as they are formed in the pipe mill, a threading-ma chine amla conveyor lying between the pipe mill ynekaml the thneading machine slide tending from said rack to said thiearling machine, said leonveyep being adapted to handle the pipes singly and successively and 7 to support each pipe at e plurality of points d iring its travel.

71 In" a system for the manufacture of threaclerl and tested Wrought metal pipes, at pipemill rackedapted to receive pipes as tliey'are formed in the pipe mill, a threading maehine, a testing machine, a conveyor numb chineahil the testingfimaehine; saiclenni eydr exteniliiig said threading machine to testingenachine and being adapted t0 handle the pipes singly and successively, and to support eeeh wipe at eplmality of points clnringit s travel. 8.111 a system for the nimmfnetnref Oi. threaded and tested wrangle met-n1 pipes, a pipe mill Tack adapted to" receive pipes as i'i-iey are frmneflin thepipenii-ll. a threading nmehine a testing nnehine, :1 conveyor lying between the pipe millirztelt nnil the-thee lihg lilaclllilfi fiilld mmyo mining froni said melt he said threiltlin machine and being adapted to A eonveg t pipes singly and successively"thereupon, sniclconveyor heing nflapted tosnppbi'tehel pipeat :1 Phi mlit i hi" points (luring its trhvel 1 {and :11 eon \QYfiT lying liretween the threading m hi and the testing nnichine said conveyor 135: tending frem snigl threading machine to swirl Testing-machine and being nclaptel to ban klle tlie pipessinglyhhtl successively, and

means interposed between the tln'eafling mil-1 chine and the testing machine for turning the pipes through an angle, l 9. In a system f0? making, testing and shoring threaded wrciugiht mete-l pipe will reek adapted td receive fie pipes as they lealve the pipefmill, threading ma chine, a testing machine, irecnveycir lying between the pipe mill inckuhcl the threading machine, eaicl ebnvejvcr eziztenrling froii'i said reek to salitl threading inzichine am being adapted in handle the pipes singly nnil successively and to supptirt edch pipe ht plurality of points (luring its tl'ai el ifcnii veyor lyinhetween the tlii-eadin inachine and the testing machine, sairl cnnveynr left tending from said threading nmhin tcfsnicl testing ina'chine and beingii (.111 ptekl m lmin (lleihe pipes singly 11ml succe sin-01y find; to support each of them at :1 pluralitynil points during its travel, and; a (i-Oni'cjwr lying between the testing machine anrl a storage spaceseid conveyor iiixteniliiipf from said testing machine to said storage space amlbeing n tlap-ted tOlTzti'ttllO tlnrfpipes singly and successively ancl to snppurt euchof 1:11am

as they leave the pipe mill, a; threnclihg nih chine,e testing machine, a cdm eyor lying between thepipe mill rack and the threading machine, saidiconveyor extending from said fin iii)

rack to said threading machine and being adapted to handle the pipes singly and successively and to support each pipe at a plurality of points during its travel, a conveyor lying between the threading machine and the testing machine, said conveyor extending from said threading machine to said testing machine and being adapted to handle the pipes singly and successively and to support each of them at a plurality of points during its travel, and a conveyor lying hetyveen the testing machine and a storage space, said conveyor extending from said testing machine to said storage space and being adapted to handle the pipes singly and successively and to support each of them at a plurality of points during its travel, and means for turning the pipes through an angle after they leave the threading machine and before they reach the storage space.

11. In a system for the manufacture of threaded Wrought metal pipes, a pipe mill rack adapted to receive the pipes as they are formed in the pipe mill, a threading machine, and a conveyor comprising a roller table extending from the pipe mill rack to the threading machine and adapted to handle the pipes singly and successively and to support each pipe at a plurality of points during its travel from the rack to the threading machine.

12. In a system for the manufacture of threaded and tested Wrought metal pipes, a pipe mill rack adapted to receive pipes as they are formed in the pipe mill, a rotating machine, a testing machine, a conveyor comprising a roller table extending from the pipe mill rack to the threading machine and adapted to handle the pipes singly and successively and tosupport each pipe at a plurality of points during its travel from the pipe mill rack to the threading machine, and a conveyor comprising a roller table extending from the threading machine to the testing machine and adapted to handle the pipes singly and successively and to support each pipe at a plurality of points machine to the testing machine, and a conveyor comprising a roller table extending from the testing machine to a storage space, each of said roller tables being adapted to convey pipes singly and successively along its length, and to support each pipe at a plurality of points during its travel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HARLEY D. PENNINGTON. 

